Rotary fluid motor



J111)14, 1942. i w. T. STEPHENS Y 2,289,387 O ROTARY FLUID MOTOR Filed Jan. 12', 1939 5 sheets-sheet 1 ATTOR EY July 14, 1942. w. T; STEPHENS ROTARY FLUID MOTOR Filed Jan. 12, 1959 3 sheetsrsheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 14, 1942- Yw. Tg sTPHENs v ROTARY FLUID MOTOR s sheets-sheet s Filed Jan. 1,2;v i939 INVENTOR ATTORN EY CNU l Y f i pw 5 T.

Patented `14,1942

" wiuanfi` T. Stephens, o.

"Hydraulic Control eneva, hio, assigner to Engineering Cleveland, Ohio, a `corporation of Ohio Company,

f 1 claims. (c1. 121-55) Thisinvention relates to iiuid motors,` and more especiallyto amotary` type `iiuid motor;

wherein the force,offiluidinmotion while under `pressure transmitsrotary mechanical motion.` Overa long` period of timewvarious waysland means havebeenused toproduce rotary motion actuated throughfluidt means.` So far `as'is known, allof `the devices so far produced have i either been extremely. ineiiicicnt or `are prohibi-` `tive from a cost viewpoint, the latter being due* to the numberwof mechanical partsinvolved, to`

gether `with precision machining aridassernbling` Numerous fluid transmissionsv have v.been de" veloped and so farlnone f of -these mechanisms has `beenfound?commercially` successful, 'due to `high cost,1inefilciency`and -the enormous heat developed during operation.

It is readily acknowledged by those engineers skilled 1 in the art of power transmission, `thatfa highly efficient,v low costfiuid motor would be ai decided improvement` in this neld of power transtion between thehfousingand the followers. The

mission,*especiallyin automotive vehicles, `and the `demandfcr such aunit has already been expressed;` `The use for this means of energy transmission isinot restrictedto automotive procations.

The present` invention design and construction, and consists inits preshapedmember within withfpassages `,therein *connecting at one end to the liquid supplymeans, andterminating atthe other end in `s"eparateopenlngs located on each Thus, it `will be seen 0i i side of the camiinember;

is"extremely simple `in pressure on ers are mounted inspaced relation tothe circular housing andzso arranged that vthe eccentrlcity of the `rotor causes a rise and fall ofthe followers, irte. the free ends ci! the lfollowersl being moved` by or following thecontour ofthe cam. \1iol`v `lower stops may be providedto limit'their movementtoward the cam, and springs, or other-` re-f silient means, to press the followers in a normal closed position". -v :l

The cam `member is provided on eachv open face with a port of sufficient size to permitflow -of fluid therethrough-itFluid` passages are lon cated within the axle and arein open communie' l cation with the portsin the cam member. The" passages inthe axleopeninto the supply lines from the pressure pump and reservoir, respectively. i Thus, it will be seen thatgtheI rnotorz'is(A 1 forced `tortate due to the movement of` fluid from the pump, through the inlet passage and out through the `inletrport into an` annular, secport on `the `opposite side ofthe cam member is arranged to scavenge 'the iluidwhich is returned 2; to` the reservoir throughan outletpassage in the 1) 1 l ,f

` pulsion,.` but jhas manyother diversified appli-,M

" Animportant factor operation ofthe.

the, cam member uiilith respect tothe followers. The, arrangement of these elements equalizes` the unit is the relative locations of the` ports in both sides of @givenffollower before the pointfof "follower'rise reached, thus elimi- `from the "above "outlineof the mechanism involvedx` ini the `present invention that it com- `prises a limited numberof moving parts.

Before describing 'th presentv invention in detail and with reference to the drawings,` it is,i

thought best to discuss the mechanism of' the unit inorder to A:better Vunderstand 'the functions whendescribed in? detail. As above stated, the

motor comprises a housingthavingacylindricalxg;l

inner portion, and side coverstherefor, the said side covers being provided withbearings located atthe axis of the circular portion of the housing.`

face `through ,pressuraw N ,4 i

novel featureof the present invention is that with additional sets ofrfollowers and the reversn `1 `ing ofthe direction ofmliquidilow, the motor-may In this ar-` t rangement the `fluid may bbe `ejected from either,V port orscavenged througneither port." Another -accomplishment,,therefore-,oi the presentinvenl tion is," the elimination,of;` valves forming the j i nating Wearthat `would naturally occur ifthe` followers `were held in contact withthe rotor surresilient` means and hydrostatic be operatedtin opposite directions.

mechanism` of* the fluid "motor, which of necessity must openjand'close abruptly, thus causing wire'drawing,'asinthecase of a motor comprisr ing pistons'and valveswhich require consider- A cammember forms an integral part of an Y `axle which is mountedin the bearings of the covers. vA plurality of hinged or pivoted followable-skillyand extremeaccuracy in timing and setting.,l i

A `further object of the present invention is` to provide afdispositionlof elements whereih a constant torque is supplied atall times during operation of the `unit "and the areaoi 'the' unit affected by hydrostatic pressure maintained con- 1 m 2,289,387 y fluid pressure is applied, so as to cylindrical housing Il. It will be noted that the eliminate pulsatio 4above described construction and mounting of A still further object of the present invention the followers permits the same to rotate in one provides complete elimination o! possible fricplane. tion due to .metallic contact of the elements, as 5 The periphery of the housing 5 extends beyond the clearances necessary for the free operation the boss sections, as indicated at numeral I8, to of the stator and the followers are within sumprovide an annular grooved section into which cient limitato avoid actual contact of these memside plates 2| are inserted, the said side plates bers, except or ik theT f th Svide with circulaijsoyoeniuxig.salil in the provided with an annular the axle remain sta groqve 23a which registers with the peripheral tionary, which provides i'or a universal applica il'on I8 0f the hOUSing. The bearing member tion o! the motor. ,el

Further and other objects ofthe tion will be hereinafter set fort .I parts of the speciiication. The dra s l m by way of illustration a preferred einbdim u section 25isan annular grooved' of what 1 now consider to blgithestL-frodwin sections-:2lffintofwhich'isplaced a conventional oil which I have contemplated applying thekpringzq-pal ,Zlqnffdesign to withstand high fluid presciples oi' my invention. Other embodiments o'f" 'Sre.'"'Th`e seal 21a is preferably ofthe formoiw theginyention jfemployinz'fthesame; orfzequivalent Sprint.; presediczfleathcr icupsr'o'rla similar! de ice pringiplemlyaebssusedpfandgstructuralrchanges A combinationbearingzimember and'drumj mid 5; lrd'b kledzirr therrtusvith one1.;-:end=srobvedlasf'illstratedfzat"28.andftlefoutffdepartin rpm, he present inventionpzand oppositesend'.Iiiriianzedftoprovidezawinchf drum Vf. withinth heL:appendmi: claims;; l 'I 'hisfgidrumfniisinprovided withiani axiai cylin rtdricalfeborefutherethrough Therinnexafae' bea ringianlzlx drum :member-b Zliisflalso 'p'rovided Witht-an enlarged; recessvsectionlilfintn which" a conventional;ball -.bearina-.3l isplacedf; andax'- illyfdjacent' thefenlargedsection isran fannular H W3 zrooyecl; -.section :lilintoiwhich'vis placed-amonie, ventionalfoilrsealfgsimilarrto:laiwxmj outer endmnthefmember "ris pro;-

vided ithgfanxeniargedgannulan sroove; .f3.1 into-r' r 141162.41411-oriyentional@ballsbearinlpell. A furthenenlarged annular,;groove:islpnovitledl in" the outer face of the member A' beailrl. .retinep Plate; l'zlS-fiitted: and secured-.ine

. ljljfisfplovided at its center with a cylindrical bore Awidth ore on the inner face havbore section 25 in which l ball bearing 26. Adjavertical sectiqlial; take!! on lines f2 takeifgdsubs tia Refer enefrmklf iv tlpaced-@Bssf sockets 'I are provided in opposite eachl 1bss$ int'ofwhi'clifwlpin fjis i'ns'ef grallyriassociated;fwith V` f y noting-steward the .centenar sus i follower 0,. pre!erably:providedwitlrfa roind-cnd as illustrated-:f: The; tollowerlslrarefpovi'dedFwit recesses .fill arconicalcprojection'rl 2c cen trallylaotf the recesso flAdjacentao-and" intermediate` t the bossegvmre spaced' aparttellsiilacolnter sunk housinmandlf .provided witlt. centrally IOCaQdiGQDQI: sh'pedzpin ill: 2 Sprlnlkaj hlve cup Shapedimemhersfi tssociatedlwith thereQ:

Chf-,pairs ct-ecups leccen ricpnortiomm the cpnicahpins ndffilrgwhichiareinssociatedi thuapgoylgigg omniunicationwithfp follow s are no and approximately in line with the tapped openings Il are grooved ring portions |22 Ahaving holes |23 drilled therethrough to communicate with the passages Hl and H1, respectively.

The axle member H maybe formed in one piece or the axle may be flttedwitha coupling joint, as illustrated in Fig. 8. It will be noted that axle I5 is provided with a slot |25 extending axially therethrough to receive a, tongue I 25 which is an integral part of-a driven shaft |21.

The ends ofthe passages |16 and I1 are provided with seal plugs |28, which permits drilling the passages from the ends of the axle, and reduces costof manufacture. A

An examination of Figs. 2, 5, and 9 will show how the motor operates. The followers, such as 9 of Fig. 2, have the same width as the stator or cam member 5| which is sealed in the housing 5. Their length and position are such that they are always in contact or small clearance relation with said cam member 5| as the housing 5 rotates. Admission of fluid under pressure through cam port 52'will cause a pressure to be exerted upon the vane or'follower 9 which is at the bottom of Fig. 2, thus producing rotation of the housing 5 in a clockwise direction. This pressure impulse will continue until the deenergized fluid is exhausted through cam port 53. In the meantime, the two other'followers of the set will have been similarly acted upon progressively by pressure fluid issuing from port 52. The similar set of oppositely disposed vanes or followers 9 of the Fig. 2 motor will yield in the direction of fluid flow to' permit driving pressure to be applied to the vanes of the active set. In so doing they will relieve the rotor of a wear-producing frictional drag. l

The frictional drag of the active set of followers 9 is minimized by the reaction of the driving fluid on each follower before the point of rise is reached. In Fig. 9,v a similar follower action is obtained by restraining the housing 1| and causing the cam member |2| to rotate.

The invention isnot limited to a fluid motor but may be used as a fluid measuring rdevice wherein the fluid is fed to the motor and discharged for use.

Although the invention has been described as embodied in a. particular machine, it should vbe understood Vthat the invention is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine which has been shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary fluid motor of the hydraulic type comprising a housing having a cylindrical interior provided with spaced circumferential recesses, a cam shaped member within the housing, a shaft co-axial connected to the cam shaped member and provided with longitudinal fluid inlet and outlet passages therein, said cam shaped member having an unported eccentric portion of only slightly less radius than the unrecessed portion of the interior oi the housing and spaced inlet and outlet ports on its adjacent face portions communicating with the inlet and outlet passages respectively of the shaft, a plurality of equally spaced follower members for said oted to the inside of the housing and completely receivable within said bers in the same angular aaaassv between successively active and the said inlet and outlet ports each being effective over a like angular space, whereby the frictional drag of said follower members is balanced by reaction of the driving fluid before their respective points of rise are reached.

2. A rotary fluid motor of the hydraulic type including a housing having a cylindrical interior provided with spaced circumferential recesses, sides for the said housing having bearings centrallyilocated therein, a shaft contacting said bearings having passages therein, a cam shaped rotor within the housing and integrally joined to the shaft and having ports in opposite sides of its face, each port being in fluid communication with one of the passages, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, resiliently-pressed vanes having rounded outer ends pivotally secured to the interior of the housing and completely receivable within said recesses, half of said vanes pivoting in onedirection toward the rotor and the other half of the vanes pivoting in the opposite direction, thereby permitting driven rotation of the rotor in either direction, and the cam shaped rotor having an unported eccentric portion of only slightly less radius than the unrecessed portion of the interior of the housing spanning half the space between successively active vanes and intermediate the ports, said ports each being effective over a like angular space, whereby the frictional drag of both sets of vanes'are balanced by reaction of the driving fluid before the respective points of rise are follower members.

. reached.

3. In a rotary fluid motor, the combination of a casing having a cylindrical interior, walls enclosing the said interior, centrally located bearings in the walls, a shaft having longitudinal passages therein mounted in said bearings, a plate cam member carried by the shaft and having ports in opposite sides of its cam face in fluid communication with the said passages, spaced fluid restraining members projecting toward the center of the cylindrical housing, securing means for pivoting said restraining members in the housingvcomprising eccentrically journaled pins whereby the fluid restraining members may be moved toward or away from the cam member,

and means for preventing rotation of said pins.

4. In a rotary fluid motor, the combination of a casing having a cylindrical interior, walls en closing the said interior, centrally located bearwith the housing integrally cam shaped member piv- Y recesses, and yielding` means for normally urging the follower memdirection toward a ceni trally directed position, the said unported eccenl tric portion ofthe cam spanning half the space ings in the walls, a shaft having a pair of sepa- -rate passageways mounted in said bearings, a

cam. member carried by the shaft and having ports in opposite sides of its face in fluid communication with the said passageways, spaced fluid restraining members projecting toward the center of the cylindrical housing, securing means for pivoting said fluid restraining members in the housing comprising eccentrically journaled pins whereby the fluid restraining members may be moved independently toward or away from the rotor, and resilient means to normally hold the fluid restraining means in contact with the cam member.

5. A fluid motor of the hydraulic type which includes a cylindrical housing, removable sides for said housing, a shaft projecting through and journaled in the said sides, an eccentric cam secured to said shaft and revolving in said housing, said cam havingl two separate ports extending from its face to its axis in different planes, and followers pivotally secured to the housing at spaced points and projecting inwardly therefrom,

o 4 2,289,887 said housing having spaced bosses with curved Vinner faces forisealing' `thefmost,eccentric po`r`- tion of the camV and arranged completely to re- `ceiveeachof the followers between them, said cam having a circular eccentric portion between lits ports of only slightly less radius than theopposing surfaces ofthe bosses of the housing and spanningfapproximately half of the circular space between the followers, and saidports be-` i ingeach effective over a like space, whereby the frictional drag vof `the followers on the `cam will be balanced by reaction of the driving fluid on 1 each follower `before its point of rise.

6; Afiuidmotor of thelhydraulictype includ` y ing in combination, a housing formed with a` cy- 1 lindrical interior, sides for saidhousing, ashaftprojecting through said housing and journaled to i wsaid sides, an eccentric cam secured to saidshaft` and disposed within the cylindrical interiorof saidhousing, said cam having two separate ports extending from its face to said shaft, and vanes pivotally secured to said housingat spaced points and projecting inwardly into engagement with` l said cam, said housing having spaced bosses with `curved inner faces for sealing the most eccentric portion of `the cam and arranged completely to `tween its portacircular; of only slightly lesersdius` than the opposing surfaces of said bosses,

y and spanning approximately half of thecircular space between said vanes, and said pci-ts being eachfeffectiveover a like space. whereby fric- `tional drag of the vaneson the cam will be balanced by reaction of the driving fluid on each vane before its point of rise. .y

7.`A rotary fluid motor of the hydraulic type comprising a housing `having a generally cylin-` `drical interior formed with three equally spaced recesses extending circumferentially and a cir-` l cular boss intermediate each adjacent pair of recesses: `a 'vane pivoted at one end of each `recess and wholly receivable therein; resilient means for urging the free `ends of the vanesout of the,`

recesses and in the same angular direction; 1a cam-shaped member having an eccentric portion of only slightly less radius than the' opposing `bosses of thehousing and extending over an angleof approximately 60 degrees with its apex at the axis of trie cam-shaped member, said cam- .Shaped memberlhaving also inlet and outlet ports i receive each ofthe vanes between them, the most ,i

eccentric portion of saidcani being disposed bei eating withV said ports.`

shaft means coaxial with the housing and connected to the cani-shaped member, said shaft means beingprov'ided with passages communii* WILLIAM Huot similar angular'exten't on either` side of and immediately adjacent its' eccentric portion; and

T. STEPHENS, 

